


Time Marches On

by OrangeBatman



Category: Supernatural
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-26
Updated: 2019-07-26
Packaged: 2020-07-20 01:48:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19984048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OrangeBatman/pseuds/OrangeBatman
Summary: Getting ready for perhaps the last round of hail-mary saves. Used lines from previous episodes to make a begininng of an ending.





	Time Marches On

**Author's Note:**

> I've never written fan-fic before (it will be obvious) but I wrote a thing when the despair of 15 being the  
> LAST season hit me. In my mind, it would be part of one of the last, or THE last, episodes. Formatting got weird and I don't know what I'm doing. 😬

'Awesome’ Dean said, short and exasperated. ‘Just, awesome’.

  
He sat in his usual seat, the driver’s seat, with his now-grown little brother Sammy, besides him. Sam crinkled and raised his eyebrows, revealing his large, quickly reddening eyes. Both their eyes glistened, holding back the flood gates from years of pain and devotion and exhaustion. Sam took a deep breath and quickly, shallowly, huffed it out.

  
A deep and gritty voice choked out from the back seat, ‘If this is going to be successful, we need to go now’

‘Yea, I get it Cas, okay? Let’s just take a friggin’ second here’ barked Dean as he turned to put the angel in his view, scanning his face up and down with his eyes, his face hardened. Cas looked worse for wear, but hell, they all did.

Cas sat forward so his head was above the front seats, as if to ensure he was a part of the moment. He slowly looked between the brothers  
and closed his eyes, tilting his head down with a sigh.  
‘Hey, Cas, it’s…it’s gunna be okay man…it’s…us. I mean, at least we’re all together. And…and at least we’re ending this, ya know?’ Sam managed between an ever-rising lump in his throat and unstable breaths. He swallowed hard and raised  
his eyebrows sympathetically.

  
Dean wiped an unnoticed tear from his cheek and let out a rough and shaky breath. He turned the key in the ignition and Baby snarled to a start. Cas lifted his head wearily, eyes blatantly blue and wide, but sad and blank.

Sam turned to Dean and gave an unsure nod. Dean caught his brother’s wide eyes, filled with unfallen tears and it reminded him of when his brother was small and terrified and helpless. Dean had protected him then, only to end up here. His face softened and tears now flowed cautiously from Dean’s eyes, his lip giving one short quiver.  
‘Damnit Sammy. We did good, didn’t we? We did a lotta good. Put ourselves on the line over and over again, to hell and back in more ways than one. We saved a lotta people and now, we hafta save some more. Hell, save them all. And for once in our goddamn lives, we’re not torturing each other over who’s gunna sacrifice themselves. We’re gunna end  
whatever this…this thing is, together. And damnit Sammy, I’m friggin proud of us, all of us. And no matter what shit goes down, know that I love ya Sammy. And I wouldn’t have had this any other way…’ Under his breaking voice and breath, he continued with a sad sigh ‘Saving people, hunting things...’ He gave a stern look to Sam and ran his hand across his face.

  
Sam sniffled quick and hard as his nose ran and tears fell. He distractedly wiped his eyes.

  
‘I know man, I love you too. And Dean…Dean, we were great. We _are_ great. And we’re gunna end this together, ya know?’ Sam spit out, struggling to smooth his shaking voice, as he reached across the car to clamp a hand on Deans shoulder. With a quick squeeze, he removed his hand and tensed his lips. He looked down slightly, and shook his head as  
if that would disperse the tears and thoughts of what was going to happen.

  
Dean positioned himself to stare Cas in the eyes.

Cas had been quietly watching the exchange while trying to keep his heart in his chest. He loved these boys and none of this seemed fair, but they did a good job. They always fought the good fight, no matter how weary and deluded it was, and Cas would follow them anywhere, into any battle, just to be  
able to lighten the load, though that wasn’t really how it ever worked out. He silently cursed his father, God, Chuck, for the millionth time today.

  
‘And Cas…man... Cas…what can I even say? You’re family, ain’t no denying that. I can’t imagine not having you by my side, hell, been there, done that, and it was no friggin picnic. Really man, I…’ Dean’s own choked sobs cut himself off and he had to force a slow, deep breath as one last tear fell.

  
‘I know Dean. I love you. I love both of you in a way I never thought possible for an angel of the Lord. And I am deeply proud and honored to have been a part of this fight. And to be here… with you both.. when it comes to an end. The Winchester brothers were perhaps humanity’s greatest achievement’ Cas sputtered out, low and gruff, with a sad smile  
curling on half of his lips, all while keeping Dean’s gaze.

‘Thanks man…Cas..thanks…’ Sam managed before his voice cracked. He had placed an arm behind Cas and patted him on the back. Sam turned back to Dean, who’s eyes were desperately searching Cas’ face, and sternly cleared his throat.

Dean sighed, clenched his eyes closed for a second, then put a hand on Cas’ shoulder, and nodded at him. Cas returned the gesture with a gloomy smile, and Dean swung back to the front, gripping the steering wheel purposefully, composing himself.

  
‘Okay, no more chick-flick moments. Let’s fucking do this. Cas, you got it?’ Dean demanded.

Sam took a deep breath and sat up straighter. Cas shuffled in the back and held up something lazily wrapped in a towel.

It was a clock. An odd dusty, gold wall clock, with twelve uneven spikes sticking out from the small and simple center. The center was a plain white background with solid black numbering, covered by a thin globe of glass. THE clock. The ever-present, life-changing clock that had ticked into their lives years ago, unnoticed, and doomed them.

  
Cas rolled his eyes, slightly tilting his head to the side, almost as habit, and sighed raggedly. With eyebrows furrowed he  
said, ‘Yes of course, I have it’. He cradled the item awkwardly in his lap.

  
‘Let’s do it.’ Sam agreed, strongly and evenly, as if he didn’t care what fate lied ahead, as if this was just another road trip on the way to a case.

They both glanced back at Cas who gave a quick nod, and Dean put Baby in gear. With one last soul-reaching breath, Dean let off the brake and pressed the gas pedal. The Impala lurched forward as Dean flattened the pedal to the floor, and they were off, demon-speeding into the flickering flames ahead.

With that damnned clock.


End file.
